Peace and Noise
by Nicolle
Summary: After receiving an odd promise, Sesshoumaru travels to a distant land to find the youkai his father once consulted.


Peace and Noise

By:  Nicolle L. Brandle

Inu-Yasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

'To Have and Have Not' belongs to Tiamat.

Author's Note:  I write in E-Prime.  This entire story is devoid of the verb 'to be.'  In other words, I do not use am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being, or become anywhere in the story.  Trust me.  It's really hard.  Give it a shot.  Even if you don't like it, it will force you to use your thesaurus and expand your vocabulary, which is always a good thing.  Please read and review.

  
  
  
  
  
  
Peace and Noise  
  


Sesshoumaru stepped into the clearing, a soft wind blowing silver hair away from the taiyoukai's icy mask of a face.  He gazed up at a great golden moon, hanging against night's dusky mantel.  The illumination of the lesser light reflected in yellow irises and a pointed ear strained to hear the ghost of a voice on the breeze.  Nothing.  He turned slightly, eyes sliding over to the sleeping forms of his followers.    

Jaken leaned on his staff, dozing lightly.  Rin slept on Ah-Un's back.  The dragon watched his master intently.  The taiyoukai walked to the dragon and lifted his hand to Ah's head.  Ah nuzzled his master's hand before settling his chin lightly in the alabaster palm.  Un nuzzled his elbow.

Sesshoumaru scented the thick air.  Nothing came to his sensitive nose.  He looked at his dragon.  Four eyes rolled up to gaze at the alabaster face.  A moment's determination led the taiyoukai to believe that no other heard the gentle whisper.  He frowned, turning the words over in his mind. 

'_I can take all your blasphemy.'_

Sesshoumaru's hand scratched Ah behind the ears before doing the same for Un, and turned back to gaze at the amber moon.  He looked back at the dragon, nodding once. The dragon rested it's brown heads on the ground.  His eyes rested on Jaken and the toad jumped from his rest, staring around manically before bowing before Sesshoumaru. 

"Jaken."

One word.  An order.  A warning. 

Jaken broke out into cold sweat as he bowed low.  When he looked up, his master had already faded into the distance. 

Sesshoumaru stood on the rough cliff edge, staring over the dark forest underneath.  The trees, abandoned to the seasons, turned and gave up their green, setting the forest ablaze in yellows, golds, and reds.  He stepped off the cliff, falling into the autumn forest, mentally noting that Rin would soon need a heavier kimono.  Landing softly, he peered into the dark forest before him.  A trail, almost glowing in the golden moonlight, wandered off into the distance.  Following the worn path, fireflies sparkled and faded as they flitted in the dark forest. 

As the taiyoukai continued, the forest burst to life.  The lights of spirits danced through the trees, spinning and pulsing to the night music of bubbling water and singing crickets.  Ghosts rose up from the ground and dashed around in an odd dance, others following the taiyoukai liked faced gusts of wind.  Stepping through the forest, Sesshoumaru followed the path that called him forward, unsure of his final destination.  The path ahead split in two directions and the lord of the western lands checked his pace. 

A moment, and he almost smirked at his foolishness, until he heard it again.

_'I can take all your sins.'_

He took the left path.  The path steadily tilted down hill, and he restrained his pace, carefully placing one black slippered foot before the other.  Forest spirits rose and fell among the branches, setting the leaves ablaze with curious shadows.  The ghosts fell back as the path evened out and he came to a halt in front of a small girl who radiated a white light so different from the dark master who'd birthed her.  Kanna turned to Sesshoumaru, silver mirror glowing in her tiny hands. 

Kanna rotated the mirror and held it up to the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru observed the mirror and its owner cautiously.  Kanna's eyes, always careful to follow her master's, seemed glazed over, as if unaware that an enemy stood before her.  The taiyoukai looked into mirror. His reflection blurred and the image of another youkai replaced his.  The youkai looked up at Sesshoumaru and he fought the urge to step back. 

_'I can bend any moment and let a new one break in.'_

Kanna's mirror rotated and the image disappeared.  Kanna blinked several times before looking up at Sesshoumaru.  Without a word, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness and dancing lights, taking the moment of confusion.  Sesshoumaru returned to his followers.__

The sun rose over the horizon, a heavy orb of fire.  Rin sat on the dragon's back as the group followed their lord across the land to the sea, separating the island of japan from mainland china.  A cloud of fuschia dust and sparkle formed around the feet as he lifted into the air, Jaken quickly grabbing a hold of his master's kimono.  Ah-Un lifted himself into the air, Rin grasping the dragon's reins.  They floated over the deep blue waters, flying steadily over the main land, heading for the mountains far in the distance. 

They traveled for days among the sharp mountains surrounding Tibet, stopping once to let Ah-Un rest and Rin sleep.  They picked up their journey in the morning, continuing east.  Vaguely, Sesshoumaru realized that Rin hadn't said much over the journey.  A glance back found her staring in wonder at the world rushing by so fast. It also found her exhausted.  They stopped on the edge of a great desert and Rin fell asleep as soon as her head hit the ground.  In an uncharacteristic, but apologetic, move, Sesshoumaru lifted Rin with his arm and cradled her against his chest.  Jaken sputtered, but fell silent with a look and the great lord Sesshoumaru allowed himself to rest, leaning against Ah-Un, his daughter asleep against his chest, fingers curled in the fur of his tail.

The next day found them in the market of a busy desert town near a turbulent river.  The market, alive with color, life, and desert spirits, sparkled much like the forest had so many nights ago.  The noise assailed Sesshoumaru's ears, but he ignored it as he searched for the certain stall he knew would lead to the youkai in the mirror.  Rin ran from stall to stall, cooing over every piece of jewelry, every silk scarf, every bright toy, occasionally grabbing Jaken and dragging him around.  The group received no odd looks from vendors, having seen odder things in the desert.  What would a toad man have to fight against a jinn?  Sesshoumaru drew looks, if for nothing other than his beauty.  Only one whisper among the crowd gave him pause.  He cast his icy yellow glare at the two slavers on his right and they froze to the spot. 

Rin ran up to Sesshoumaru, and forgetting her place, grasped his hand and pulled him along.  He followed, her chatter rising to his ears as she innocently pulled him through the market.  Jaken yelled for her to let go of their lord and master.  He pulled Rin to a stop next to him, gazing at the stall.  A young human woman sat in a small chair behind a table filled with silk patches, matching up to silk bolts.  The woman clothed herself in long, rust colored pants, a long sleeved cotton shirt, and a sleeveless long coat.  Her black hair fell down her back in a braid, her nose pierced with a delicate gold hoop.  But her eyes gave away her Japanese heritage. She looked up at Sesshoumaru and gasped.

The sound drew another from the back of the tent.  Sesshoumaru gazed at the youkai he had perceived in the mirror.  The youkai stood as tall as the great lord, with long black hair, odd red-brown eyes, and pale, ivory skin.  He wore the garb of the land he stood in, but looked uncomfortable without a kimono.  The youkai looked from Sesshoumaru to Rin, and back again.  He laid a hand on the woman's shoulder, giving her a silent command to leave.  The youkai sat in her seat as the woman fled to the back. 

"Long ago, your great father once visited me here, with you next to him, I remember, a small pup.  He feared his growing affections for a weaker blood."  The youkai shrugged. "What would you have me tell you Sesshoumaru-sama?  That your father made a mistake and that you shall follow in those foot steps?  Or should I tell you that your father found something worth while in his path?"  He shook his head.  "It matters not.  You came here to find the answer to a question that I cannot answer.  You have to ask someone else."

"Your voice led this Sesshoumaru here." 

The youkai frowned.  "Your great father's spirit led you here.  I find it depressing that you had to be led to this hot clime to find your answer."  The youkai took a large breath.  "Your family has long befriended mortals.  Why should you care if you do or not?"

"This Sesshoumaru cares not for mortals."

"Then why visit me?  What promise could bring you so far from your lands and your home?"

The great taiyoukai remained silent.

He gazed at the young girl again.  "The karma relation is deep."  His eyes returned to the youkai lord.  "Go home.  What you seek cannot be found here.  What the great Sesshoumaru seeks, he will find he always had with him." 

Sesshoumaru turned and made his way out of the market, Rin still clutching his hand.  The return home event less, the great lord and his followers traveled in the relentless search for Naraku.  The leaves began their fall, as the wind turned chill with the coming winter.  Sesshoumaru found himself in the same clearing, staring at another full golden moon.  He heard the voice again.

He reflected on the voice. Distant and floating over the tree tops, it caressed his pointed ears softly.  After further rumination, he determined the voice feminine in nature.  He walked to the cliff edge again, staring down into the golden darkness.  He heard his name, loud and crystal clear, as Rin ran up to him with a bunch of autumn flowers and leaves.  She offered up the flowers.  He watched her for a moment before scooping her up and jumping from the cliff edge. He landed softly on the path of a month ago and set the small girl down. 

The girl, silent with perfect trust on the jump down, cooed as the forest came alive for here and she ran down the path.  Sesshoumaru followed, alabaster face allowing a small smile.  Rin ran after the fireflies, danced with the ghosts, and frolicked with the spirits, her soul soaring amidst the magic of the moment.  He heard the voice again, and it dawned on the great lord that the whisper, rather than being from some hidden youkai, could have come from the soul that glowed like the sun in front of him.

_'I can take all your blasphemy.  I can take all your sins.  I can bend any moment, and let a new one break in.'_


End file.
